Tag: IMO

The European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) conducted a workshop based on the practical implementation of measures to reduce GHG emissions, which was attended by representatives of the European Commission, the European Maritime Safety Agency, the Member States, as well as industry stakeholders and environmental organisations.

Vopak Terminals Singapore began its Sebarok tank expansion project that is set to add four new tanks to store marine gasoil (MGO) in anticipation of demand ahead of the IMO 2020 regulation. The expansion began with a tank lift as work goes underway to add four new tanks with 67,000 cu m of storage for MGO.

Speaking in Istanbul, Simon Bennett, Deputy Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) warned that preventing overcapacity and unsustainably low freight rates continues to be a major challenge ten years after the massive downturn of 2008. Mr. Bennett noted that shipping companies should show restraint when ordering new ships, in order to prevent stifling recovery.

The Friends of Ocean Action, a coalition of over 50 ocean leaders who seek solutions to the most pressing challenges for the ocean, organized an Ocean Day in Davos, in the beginning of March. The event touched upon shipping emissions and the possibility of a carbon free future.

In a descriptive infographic, IMO summarizes key benefits associated with the 2020 sulphur cap. By not reducing the SOx limit for ships from 2020, the air pollution from ships would contribute to more than 570,000 additional premature deaths worldwide between 2020-2025.

During IMO's 30th session assembly, the organization adopted resolution A.1116(30) about Escape Route Signs and Equipment Location Markings. The resolution harmonizes the requirement of SOLAS regulations II-2/13, II-2/15, III/9, III/11, III/20, taking into consideration the ISO standard 24409. These signs and markings apply to vessels that are constructed on or after 1st January 2019 and current ships that undergo repairs, alterations, modifications and outfitting.

Georgia became the 112th State to accede to the International Convention on Load Lines, and specifically the 1988 Protocol. The treaty includes limitations on the draught to which a ship may be loaded, making a significant contribution to shipping safety.

In light of fraudulent registration incidents of ships and other shipping practices that have arose, IMO's Legal Committee plans to discuss a number of steps to be taken to prevent the corruption during its 106th session, on March 27-29.

IMO's treaty on ship recycling has another push, as Japan is the 10th country to become a Party to the Hong Kong Convention. H.E. Mr. Koji Tsuruoka, Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom and Permanent Representative of Japan to IMO, met IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim at IMO Headquarters, London on March 27, to deposit the instrument of accession.

The five-year GloFouling Partnerships project, a collaboration between GEF, the UNDP and IMO, kicked off at a global workshop at IMO Headquarters in London, UK, in an event on 18-20 March. The project seeks to address bioinvasions by organisms which can build up on ships’ hulls and other marine structures.